Children's Home run by Quality Protects Children Ltd in Liverpool

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people benefit from effective support, help and protection. They become increasing safer because of the actions staff take to protect and support them.  Young people enjoy exceptionally good relationships with staff. Their needs arising from personal identity, age, gender, race, faith and ethnicity are positively addressed, by staff.  The home promotes contact for young people who maintain their close relationships with the people who are most important to them.  Staff work in close partnership with social workers and other professional agencies to meet the specific needs of the young people entrusted in their care.  Young people benefit from the services they need to be healthy. They enjoy positive activities to develop their social skills, interests and hobbies.  Young people benefit from well-planned, highly personalised care and make good progress across all aspects of their welfare, physical, social, emotional and

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The children's home provision is good because:

behavioural development.  Young people benefit from diverse staff that are skilled, well trained and suitably qualified. Staff are positive role models for young people to look up to, and learn from.  As a result of this inspection, there are a small number of requirements and recommendations made. These relate to safe recruitment practice, improving aspects of young people’s accommodation and ensuring independent return home interviews, take place.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety. (2) The registered person may only- (a) employ an individual to work at the children's home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3) including that- (3)(d) full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) and (3)(d)) 20/09/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  ensure when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (Guide to the quality standards, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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Recommendations

 ensure children should have access to a computer and the internet to support their education and learning, unless there are specific safeguarding reasons why this would be inappropriate. In such cases, the home should consider whether and how it can support the child to access a computer and the internet safely. (Guide to the quality standards, page 29, paragraph 5.19)

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Recommendations

 ensure the design of the home should include any necessary adaptations to meet the needs of young people. This relates specifically to the refurbishment of the games room and laundry. ( Guide to the quality standards, page 17, paragraph 3.24)

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Information about this children's home

This section should outline:  The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 6 young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.  The home is privately owned and managed.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

12/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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good

Staff make a positive difference to the lives of young people, who make good progress in relation to their individual starting points across all aspects of their welfare, physical, social, emotional and behavioural development. Young people enjoy exceptionally good relationships with staff and they sustain their positive attachments. They receive continuity of care and have stability and consistency in their lives. Care planning and practice is highly personalised to meet the needs of individual young people.

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good

A commissioning officer reports, ‘Staff clearly care for the young people…We felt confident that our young person receives a high standard of care and the support he needs to achieve and progress as an individual. Care planning within the home is effective, and the placement meets the needs of our young person. The home is exceptional in its work around personalised care and ensuring that the cultural needs of our young person are met.’

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good

Young people’s needs are promoted effectively. They are registered with doctors, dentists and opticians, so they have access to the services they need to promote their positive health. Specialist services are sourced for young people who require them, such as trained counsellors, to help them deal with any trauma they may have experienced in their lives. There is effective use of specialist services to promote their emotional and psychological well-being.

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good

Young people are taught to lead and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. They are actively encouraged to take responsibility for their own health. They receive good support on key health issues and staff are trained to provide them with advice and support on sexual health. Young people have their medication stored and administered safely, by trained and competent staff. Medical consent is obtained so staff are clear about what health decisions and responsibilities are delegated to them. As a result, there are effective arrangements to promote their positive health.

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good

Young people are actively encouraged to attend school or alternative educational provision. Where they have no education on their arrival staff work pro-actively, with other professionals to secure, education for them. As a result, they receive good support to resume their education. There are facilities within the home to assist young people with their learning, such as books and area for study. However, the personal computer used by young people is damaged and a replacement monitor is needed. A social worker reports, ‘As you are aware my young person has recently been placed therefore it is still early days. However, my first impressions are positive. The quality of care so far has appeared young person focused including being welcoming and being sensitive to his needs. My young person has made positive comments about the placement and appears to be settling well. Thus far, I have also experienced positive partnership working... I am looking forward to the

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good

mentoring service which will be offered to my young person while at the placement which sounds promising.’

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good

Young people receive good support to develop their life skills, such as shopping, cooking and budgeting. They receive the support they need grow as individuals and are allowed to take appropriate risks to promote their growth and natural development. Staff promote contact to ensure they can sustain their close relationships with the people who are most important to them.

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good

Young people report, ‘Staff are decent, and my key worker, he’s funny. If you do something wrong you get the life story… I went on a contact and the staff were dead supportive.’

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good

Young people have weekly meetings to discuss their feelings, suggestions or any issues they may have. These meetings are a forum in which their participation is encouraged and as a consequence, they feel listened to and able to influence the running of the home. Young people know how to make a complaint and their rights are promoted effectively. There have been no complaints since the last inspection. Young people have advocates if they need an adult independent of the home to make representations of their behalf. They enjoy a broad range of activities both at home and in the wider community. This enables them to develop their friendships, social skills, interests and hobbies.

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good

Young people report, ‘Staff are nice, there’s good activities and food…They sort contact out for me with my family and they got me in the football academy. It’s friendly here, it’s nice and you can achieve things…If I could change anything it would be the games room because you could do all sorts of things in there.’

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good

The safety of young people is consistently at the centre of staff practice. The use of clear risk assessment ensures risks associated with young people are well known and understood by staff. Staff know young people well and they address their needs and behaviours safely. Staff understand how the feelings and emotions of young people can quickly be communicated through their behaviour. The use of effective, behaviour management strategies helps young people to self-regulate their own behaviour. Restraint is a last resort, and if used at all, it is only ever used to protect young people from harm, accident or injury.

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good

Staff promote harmonious and respectful relationships within the home. They help young people to be more understanding and tolerant of their peers. There is a zero tolerance towards bullying and staff implement consistent boundaries to keep young people safe from harm. Bully Busters, a charitable organisation recently visited young people to complete a work shop on bullying, homophobia and racism. A worker reports, ‘The session went well with the young people. They engaged well and have a good knowledge of bullying. What they didn’t know was indirect bullying…I think the staff are very caring and I like the way they introduced us and pop in to make sure everything’s going Ok.’

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good

Young people live in safe environment that protects them from intimidation, racism, sexism and harassment. They become increasing safer because of the actions staff take to support and protect them. Young people are protected from abuse and all other forms of significant harm. Staff are trained in child protection so they know how to deal with allegations and report suspected abuse. There are no issues with child sexual exploitation.

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good

Some young people go missing from care and those that do, benefit from an effective response to promote their safe return. The home follows the local authorities’ joint protocols and procedures for reporting young people missing from care. However, it does not meet the requirements of the statutory guidance in full in ensuring safe and well checks take place on behalf of the placing authority. Management have not challenged this practice. Consequently, this is a missed opportunity to learn lessons from young people that could help to reduce the frequency with which they go missing in the future. That said young people do not go missing very often.

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good

Staff maintain effective partnerships with the police and other safeguarding agencies. Significant incidents are reported to appropriate authorities to promote the safety of young people. The police report, ‘We have no issues whatsoever. We have not had a lot of missing from care. We have no issues with the way they run the home. There are no issues with anti-social behaviour that I am aware of.’

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good

The home provides a safe, comfortable and homely environment and is maintained to good quality standards for young people. Health and safety matters are managed effectively to ensure a safe environment for staff and young people. The young people’s games room has suffered from water damage thought to be caused by a leak. The room requires new flooring and redecoration. The laundry, while fit for use is also in need of refurbishment. Neither room is currently decorated or maintained to the same high standards observed within other areas of the home. The manager has clear plans for the improvement of these areas.

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requires improvement

The home employs a well-qualified, trained and experienced Registered Manager who has been in post for many years. The manager is supported by a qualified deputy manager and senior member of staff. The home meets the aims and objectives of its Statement of Purpose in delivering a good quality service for young people, their social workers and families.

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requires improvement

Leaders and managers effectively prioritise the needs of young people in their care. They work constructively and pro-actively with other professional agencies, such as Bully Busters, social workers, counsellors and specialist health workers, to provide targeted services to meet the needs of individual young people. As a result, young people benefit effective support to address their specific needs.

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requires improvement

Leaders and managers monitor the progress young people make in respect of their plans. They can demonstrate the positive difference the home has made to the lives of young people. The home maintains effective partnerships with young people’s families and other professionals to ensure they receive the best possible support. The manager escalates concerns and actively challenges other professionals, if they believe decisions are not in the best interest of young people.

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requires improvement

The performance of the home is monitored effectively to raise standards and improve outcomes for young people. The Registered Manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses and they make positive use of the home’s monitoring activities to secure, improvement. Combined with the home’s independent monitoring activities there are effective systems for improving the quality of young people’s care.

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requires improvement

Staff benefit from effective support and professional supervision. They receive high quality training to help them further their existing knowledge and skills. This includes access to specialist training and attending in-house training workshops. A diverse range of training is provided for staff’s professional development. Young people benefit from well trained, qualified and experienced staff.

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requires improvement

Recruitment practices are not sufficiently robust. They do not ensure those charged with a duty to care for young people are suitably vetted. For example, there are staff employed who have not had their references checked and verified. Consequently, staff are not recruited safely and this aspect of the service requires improvement.

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requires improvement

The requirement from the previous inspection has been addressed. The home is inspected independently and a report is produced in relation to the conduct of the home.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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